The most expensive land in Australia might be graves, here’s the problem

Inch-for-inch, Australian burial plots are among the most valuable real estate in the country.

And with one-third of all dearly departed Australians opting for burial over cremation, current projections have several Australian cities running out of space in 20-30 years.

And with a 2m² grave in Melbourne General Cemetery already costing $14,585 – a “platinum” grave costing three times that, not including funeral costs – and a resting place in Sydney’s Rookwood, the largest cemetery in the southern hemisphere, running from $8000-$40,000, prices could rise as space runs out.

Sydney will face a demand-supply problem for its expensive graves within 32 years. Photo: Supplied

Two problems are leading to the shortfall, according to UNSW and Urbis researcher Kate Ryan.

First, while graves in Adelaide and Perth are rented for 25, 50 or 99 years, those in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are permanent – the crowded east-coast cities may soon need to follow the lead from the west.

There isn’t much planning or attention paid to cemeteries compared to residential growth.UNSW and Urbis researcher Kate Ryan

And second, the majority of major city cemetery land was set aside over 110 years ago, with minimal additional land added in recent years, despite a booming population.

“There’s two solutions, finding more land and developing more cemeteries, or using cemetery space more sustainably,” Ms Ryan said.

“This is a new issue we’re grappling with. In Sydney a lot of our larger cemeteries were established in the 1800s.

“There isn’t much planning or attention paid to cemeteries compared to residential growth.”

Which cities are filling fastest?

Sydney is set to face a supply-demand problem within 32 years as its 710 hectares – almost twice the size of Sydney Harbour National Park – becomes full.

Brisbane, meanwhile, is projected to run out of graves within a generation despite 200 hectares, or 0.14 per cent of the city, currently set aside.

Melbourne has 1011 hectares – around six MCGs – of prime land set aside for graves, but will have used almost half by 2035. According to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services further supply is needed to guarantee places beyond 2048.

For particular communities this is a pronounced issue, with Sydney’s Jewish and Muslim communities lobbying the government to find a solution.

Vic Alhadeff, CEO of the Jewish Board of Deputies of NSW, told Domain there was only 10 years of space left for their community.

“The problem is that despite numerous possibilities, the government has not acquired sufficient land to accommodate Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities which are in critical need of burial space,” he said.

But Mr Alhadeff ruled out the possibility of renewable internment, saying “Jewish law does not permit renewable internment”.

A similar story was heard from Kazi Kali, chairman of Riverstone Muslim Cemetery, who only has 50 available plots out of 3840 total graves at the site.

He said government needed to “provide adequate burial space to keep pace with the growing population”. Sydney’s Blacktown Muslim population quadrupled between 2011 and 2016.

The shortage of space will see new burials take place in Kemps Creek Cemetery, in far west Sydney, after Catholic Cemeteries NSW offered 4500 plots to Sydney’s Muslim community.

The cost of a resting place, six-feet under, around Australia?

The difference between permanent burial in Sydney, and burial for 99 years in Adelaide, is about $5000.

Buying a grave forever is expensive and graveyards charge a premium for it, experts say, with renewable internment an inevitable next step for Australia’s major cities.